Canard wings, what the duck is it all about?

[pbehn]

As an off shoot from the F-35 thread.

I distinctly remember reading that a highly placed US official saying he would never have anything to do with canard wings. This was some time ago posiobly before recent fly by wire developments. What is it with canard wings, are they an advantage for maneuverability but no good for stealth. What are the down and up sides apart from what wiki throws up? As I read it it was a statement akin to the US not putting water cooled AC on aircraft carriers, that is on the face of it an irrational prejudice but actually a sound logical decision.

So what are the plusses and minuses of canards?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Who ever that official was, I don't think he had too much clout. Although not used in current US combat aircraft, the US has played with canards for years and continue to do so